Electrically-conductive asphalt mastic: Temperature dependence and heating efficiency

• Published in: Materials & design Vol. 157; pp. 303 - 313
• Main Authors: Arabzadeh, Ali, Ceylan, Halil, Kim, Sunghwan, Sassani, Alireza, Gopalakrishnan, Kasthurirangan, Mina, Mani
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 05.11.2018
• Subjects: Anti-icing and de-icing; Asphalt; Carbon fiber; Electrically-conductive; Graphite; Heated pavement; Asphalt; Electrically-conductive; Anti-icing and de-icing; Heated pavement; Graphite; Carbon fiber
• ISSN: 0264-1275; 1873-4197
• DOI: 10.1016/j.matdes.2018.07.059

Asphalt mastic, a pitch-matrix composite, consists of bitumen and mineral fillers (very fine aggregates), that fills the voids created by coarser aggregates in asphalt concrete. In this study, asphalt mastic was modified with carbon fiber (CF) and graphite powder (GP) to produce single-phase (containing only CF) and two-phase (containing both CF and GP) electrically-conductive asphalt mastic (ECAM) for anti-icing and deicing applications. Volume resistivities of ECAMs were measured at two different temperatures and the influence of temperature on electrical conductivity was evaluated, revealing that reduction in temperature enhances the ECAM's electrical conductivity. After analyzing the volume resistivity data for both single-phase and two-phase ECAM specimens, heat generation efficiency of single-phase ECAM was investigated at a conductive material dosage slightly higher than the optimum. The heat generation efficiency was evaluated at a below-freezing temperature by performing active infrared thermography (IRT). Based on the active IRT analysis results, it was found that single-phase ECAM at the selected CF content is capable of generating enough heat for melting ice and snow or preventing accumulation of snow and formation of ice. [Display omitted] •Single-phase and two-phase electrically-conductive asphalt mastics (ECAMs) have comparable resistivities at higher carbon fiber (CF) dosage rates.•Two-phase ECAM has a higher conductivity than single-phase ECAM at lower CF dosage rates.•Reduction in temperature enhances electrical conductivity of ECAM indicating heating efficiency of ECAM at freezing temperatures.•Performing infrared thermography on the surface of ECAM proved the heating efficiency of ECAM within a short time window.